Wire fabric.



H. RICHARDSON.

WIRE FABRIC.

APPLlCATION FILED APR.15, 1914.

1,171,650. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFJ co., WAblllAulUh, u. c.

omrnn sm'ra Hammet 1 HENRY RICHARDSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate te b 5, 1

I Application filed A ril 15, 1914. Seria11\To. S31,910.

and which, for the most part, are character-' ized structurally by. the employment of duplicate bent wire links or units connected end-to-end to form the longitudinal strands of the fabric, which longitudinal strands are flexibly connected, either by, separate cross links or by cross arms formed integral with the longitudinal links themselves.

The present invention has reference more particularly to an improved type of such fabrics heretofore originated by me and designed to make practicable the employment of a considerably lightergage of wire than was theretofore possible, without any relative sacrifice of tensional strength. The general object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicable wire link fabric of the characterand type last referred to, which is economical in respect to the amount of wire required, will simplify the machine used for manufacturing, and afford ample tensional strength for" all service requirements. p I i In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated my invention in several slightly varying forms or embodiments thereof,and

referring tl1eretoF igure" 1' is a fragmentary top plan view of a wire link fabricembodying my invention; Fig. 2is a bottom plan view of a portion ofone of the links or units employed therein; Fig. 3* is 'a fragmentary edge elevation as viewed from the bottom of Fig. 1; Fig. 4c is a perspective detail of one of the links of the fabric of Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View of a varied form of the invention em I ploying integral cross arms in lieu of the separate cross links shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one'of the links of'theffabric of Fig; 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a'further variation of the invention, showingthe fabric of the cross'link type, and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective View of one of the links of the fabric of Fig. 7.

Myimproved wire fabricis made up of endwise and crosswise connected bent wire links or units, each of which is composed of a single length of wire bent to provide a two-ply body member, a loop at each end of the latterby which'the links of each longitudinal strand may be connected end-to-end by simple interlooping, V and transverse connecting members between adjacent strands,

which transverse connecting members may take the form of either a separate cross link or a cross arm formed integrally with. the longitudinal link and flexibly engaged with a laterally adjacent longitudinal link.

All of the forms of the inventionv shown have in common a two-ply'body or tension 7 member 10, the two limbs of which are integrally joined at one end of said body member as by a loop 11' preferably consisting, as shown, of a simple U-bend of the wire. All of the forms of the inventionshown are further characterized by the presence, at the opposite end of the body member 10; of .a

two-ply'loop that lies in a plane substantiallyverticalto the plane of the fabric, and the two plies of which are formed as eX- tensions of the two limbs of the body member, respectively. The end portion of the wire forming one ply of said two-ply loop is extended above and thence crosswise of the body member and issuitably anchored or otherwise secured, while the'end of the wire forming the other ply of said two-ply loop is left free beneath the body member;

all as hereinafter more particularly, described' 7 Another feature of the invention, which may be employed independently of the described structure of the terminal loops and their mode of connection, resides in the manner-of flexible attachment of the cross-con-' necting member, whether a'jseparate crosslink or an integral cross-arm; such connection being formed by a loop on one end of the cross-connecting member embracing both plies of the vertical loop of a link to which itis connected. v e v Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFigs. 1 to at inclusive, l2 designates'one ply of the two-ply vertical loop above referred to, and l3 designates the other ply of said loop, the two plies lying substantially parallel to each other. As will be seen more particularly by reference to. Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the end portion of the wire which forms the ply 13 is extended above and thence across the body member formed are connected end-toend to form the longitudinal strands by simple interlooping of their terminal loops 11 and 12,13. Ad

jacent strands are flexibly connected at intervals by cross links, each comprising a short length of wire 17, the ends of which embrace those portions of the two limbs of the body member that form the upper sides of both plies of the terminal loops of the longitudinal links and are clenched to the body of the cross link, as shown, thereby forming fixed loops or eyes 18.

The fabric illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 differs from that of Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive, mainly in employing an integral cross arm 19 in lieu of the separate cross link 17 said cross arm being formed as an extension of the inner portion of the terminal loop member 13*, and extending across both limbs of the body member with its outer terminal loop 20 embracing the upper sides of the loop members 12 and 13 of a laterally adja'cent link. In this construction the end of the wire forming the loop member 12 is disposed of exactly as in the previously described construction, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The structure illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is a cross linkstructure of the same type as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive, but in this case the terminal loop member 13 is extended up on the inner side of the limb of the body member on which it is formed and is clenched to the latter as best shown at 21 in'Fig. 8; the companion member 12 of the two-ply loop having its freeend portion disposed in the same manner as in the constructions previously described, In this construction the two limbs of the body member are not tied together as in Figs. 1 to 1 by the extension of the terminal loop member 13*, but the engagement .of the loop 11 of the next longitudinal link with both loop member 12 and 18" serves to hold the limbs of the body member together. The cross links 17 are formed and connected up to the longitudinal strands the same as in Figs. 1 to A inclusive.

In the cross arm type of Figs. 5 and 6, the cross arms 19 at one end and at one longitudinal edge of the fabric are not needed,

and hence are cut off adjacent to the body members and their stub ends clenchedv beneath the latter in the same manner as is illustrated in the construction of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

The fabric of my present invention is generally similar, as to the elements form-; ing the longitudinal strands, to a fabric constituting the subject'matter of my Patent.

No. 1,095,521, granted May 5, 1914, but differs therefrom in dispensing with the anchoring or clenching of one member or ply of the twoply vertical loop at one end of the link. I have'found by experiment that, while the clenching or anchoring of both ends of the wire, as shown in said patent, is desirable, still it is not indispensable to the production of a light wire fabric having ample strength for all service requirements. Hence, my present invention, represents a simplification of the fabric of my said pat-.. cut .and of the machine for making it, and

also involves some economy in the amount of wire required. By having the terminal loops of the cross-links or cross-arms embrace both limbs of the body members of the longitudinal links, the transverse strains exerted through said cross-connecting members obviously have the effect of drawing the limbs of the body members together.

I claim:

1. A wire link fabric including a plurality, of links or units, each composed of asingle length of wireand formed with a two-ply. body member, the two limbs ofwhich are integrally joined at one end ,of said'body member and a two-plyloop attheother end of said body member, the end portion of the wire formingone ply of said Itwo-ply loop being secured, and the end of the wire forming the other ply of said two-plyloop being left free; said links being connected end-to-end to form longitudinal strands, and transverse connecting members between adjacent longitudinal strands.

2. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single length of wire and. formed with. a two-ply body member, the two limbs of'which' are oined at one end by a U-bend of thewire lying substantially in the plane of thefabric 1 and a two-ply loop at the'other end. of said" body member lying in a plane substantially vertical to. that of the fabric, theend portion of the wire forming one ply of said two-ply loop being secured, and the end of the wire forming the other ply of saidtwo ply loop being left free; said links, being interlooped end-to-end to form longitudinal strands, and transverse connecting members between ad acent longitudinal strands.

3. A wire link fabric including a-plurality I of links or units, eachcomposed of a single length of 'wire and formed with a two-ply body member, the twolimbs of which lare integrally joined at one end of said body member and a two-ply loop at the other end of said body member, the two plies of which are formed as extensions of the two limbs of said body member and lie in planes substantially vertical to that of the fabric, the end portion of the wire forming one ply of said two-ply loop being extended above and across the limb of the body member on which it is formed and then secured, and the end of the wire forming the other ply of said two-ply loop being unsecured; said links being inter-looped end-to-end' to form longitudinal strands, and transverse connecting members between adjacent longitudinal strands.

4. A wire link fabric including a plurality of links or units, each composed of a single length of wire bent to form a two-ply body member with a loop at one end and a twoply substantially vertical loop at the other end, said links being connected end-to-end to form longitudinal strands, and cross-connecting members for said strands, each having a terminal loop embracing both plies of the vertical loop of a link to which it is connected.

5. A wire fabric link consisting .of a single length of wire bent to form a two-ply body member, the two limbs of which are integrally joined at one end of said body member, and a two-ply loop at the other end of said body member lying in a plane substantially vertical to that of the fabric; 7

the end portion of the wire forming one ply of said two-ply loop being extended above and crosswise of the body member, and the endof the wire forming the other ply of said two-ply loop being left free beneath the body member.

6. A wire fabric link' consisting of a single length of wire bent to'form a two-ply body member, the two limbs of which are joined at one end by av U-bend of the wire lying substantially in the plane of the body member, and a two-ply loop at the other end of said body member, the two plies of which are formedas extensions of the two limbs of said body member and lie in planes 1 substantially vertical to that of the body member, the end portion of the wire form-' HENRY RICHARDSON.

Witnesses: V

S. N. Pom), A. G. LATIMER..

Gopiea of this patent may be obtained tor'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G." 

